7 die after S. Africa police fitness run in heat

Dec. 31, 2012
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by Michael Winter, USA TODAY

by Michael Winter, USA TODAY

Seven South African men seeking jobs as traffic police died as a result of a fitness-test run in 92-degree heat.

Six men in their 20s died after collapsing from heat exhaustion and dehydration Thursday afternoon during the 2.4-mile run in a stadium in the KwaZulu Natal region, The Telegraph reports. The seventh killed himself when told he hadn't finished within the allotted half hour.

The men were among more than 150,000 people -- mostly poor men in their late teens and 20s -- who sought 90 trainee positions in the Road Traffic Inspectorate in Pietermaritzburg. More than 34,000 qualified to apply and were told to report in two groups Thursday and Friday. Over the two days, an estimated 230 people collapsed and were hospitalized for heat-related problems. Many ran on an empty stomach and without water.